


This is Dan Rydell

by in_the_bottle



Category: Sports Night
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2003-12-20
Updated: 2003-12-20
Packaged: 2017-11-02 12:19:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/368915
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/in_the_bottle/pseuds/in_the_bottle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Do you ever wonder how many pictures of you have been taken without you realising?</p>
            </blockquote>





	This is Dan Rydell

**Author's Note:**

> It was 35C today and my apartment was like an oven. Most of my friends has gone back home for the holidays, so I decided to head down to the cinema for a movie to avoid getting cooked alive at home. Movie didn't start until 2:20pm, so I had some time on my hands along with a pen and some paper. Found a spot, ordered some nachos for lunch, and I wrote this.
> 
> Set after "Intellectual Property", thanks to BobbieJo for beta-ing.

He stopped in his tracks and blinked. Trying to regain his sight after a bright flash from a camera assaulted his retinas.

"Hey! Do you mind?" A gruff voice came from his left. Turning around, he found a middle-aged balding man holding an almost antique camera, with fairies dancing around him.

No, wait. They were light spots from the flash.

He muttered a quick apology and moved to get out of the way.

"Wait a minute. You're Dan Rydell! The guy from Sports Night!" The man's tone had changed from frustration to joy. "Man! I _love_ your show!"

Dan smiled and offered another apology for getting in his shot.

"Don't worry about it!" The man enthused. "As a matter of fact, do you have a minute? Here Miriam," he thrust the camera into the hands of a middle-aged woman. "This is my wife Miriam, and I'm Richard, by the way." Dan shook the offered hand. "Would you mind having your picture taken with me? The boys back home would be green with envy when I tell them about this!"

Dan nodded and smiled dutifully at the camera.

Sure, no problem. I bet they would.

Flash.

Flash.

The fairies were dancing around Miriam's this time, flying around her hair even as she bent her head to dig through a shopping bag hanging off her left elbow.

Ten seconds later she dug out a while t-shirt with a picture of the Statue of Liberty printed on it and the words "I LUV N.Y." right below the picture. Richard was still babbling on excitedly.

As predicted, a pen was shoved into his hands with Miriam asking if he would be kind enough to autograph the t-shirt for their son who couldn't come along because he had summer school. Sam was 16 years old.

_Dear Sam,_ he scrawled right next to the torch Lady Liberty was holding. _Sorry you couldn't be here. Study hard, knowledge is strength. Yours always, Dan Rydell._

He handed the pen and shirt back to Miriam. Clap Richard on the shoulder, flash them a bright smile along with the handshake and went on his way.

I'm sorry about this, but I have to get to work. Tune in tonight, and it was nice meeting you.

The light spots were getting dimmer, but he could still make them out.

Walking into the building, he greeted Jeff and Tony by name, the security guards on duty at the lobby. He made his way to the elevator, pressed the button for the 26 floor and was almost glad that there was no one else with him.

He strolled into his office two minutes later. Casey was already in front of the computer, typing away.

"Casey, do you ever wonder how many pictures of you have been taken without you realising?" he asked, standing right in front of the desk.

"Uh... no?"

"Japanese tourists on Fifth Avenue, snapping away rolls of films, and you just happen to be walking down the street, in the background." He sat down on the chair, opposite Casey. "Don't you ever wonder how many picture of you are around in other people's holiday scrap book? Just a background. They don't even have to show your face. Just the back of your head."

Casey had stopped typing and was looking at him. "I'd have to say no. But now that you've mentioned it, there's no doubt that I will spend the rest of the day thinking about whether I happened to be doing something untoward in those pictures."

"You mean like picking your nose?"

"Yeah."

"You don't pick your nose in public."

"True."

"If it was anything, it'll be an image of you swatting away imaginary insects." He smiled at his partner. Almost laughing even.

"Hey!" Casey's protest was anticipated. "I'll have you know, that was a _real_ fly!"

"Sure it was, Casey. Sure it was."

"And according to Jeremy, with stealth capabilities too."

Life was good for Dan Rydell. Instead of having an unhappy tourist cursing him for ruining his shot, there was a very happy fan who'd be bragging about the encounter to his drinking buddies. He had a job he loved, and he was sharing an office with Casey McCall.

Life was very good, indeed.


End file.
